Healthcare.gov sign-ups begin
In its sixth year, consumers in 39 states participate
WASHINGTON — The federal website where consumers can get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act was up and running Thursday after a slow start as signup season for 2019 opened days before the midterm elections.
During early morning hours, people accessing the site were directed to a screen that said work was underway. A recording at the Healthcare.gov call center conveyed a similar message. Things seemed to be running normally by about 9 a.m. EDT.
In earlier years, technical problems with the site created major headaches for the Obama administration. Some Democrats cited Healthcare.gov’s meltdown after its 2013 debut as one of the reasons they lost control of the Senate the following year.
Since those initial problems were fixed, the website serving people in 39 states has worked fairly smoothly, first under President Barack Obama and now under Donald Trump. The rest of the states and the District of Columbia run their own sign-ups.
A spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Thursday morning that HealthCare.gov was open for business.
Before the site went live for signups at the start of a new coverage year, technicians had to load up details on thousands of changes in plans and premiums.
“Prior to every open enrollment, final preparations must take place ahead of the start of the open enrollment period to ensure the website runs smoothly for consumers,” said a statement from the agency.
The health law’s sixth sign-up season began with stabilizing premiums and more choices for consumers.
Nationally, average premiums are going up only by low single-digit percentages for 2019. In some states, and for some types of plans, premiums will decline. Fewer areas will see increases. Insurers also are expanding their participation.
Congress has gotten rid of the unpopular requirement that most people carry health insurance or risk fines, starting Jan. 1. The administration has opened the way for insurers to offer alternatives to the law’s comprehensive coverage.